Over 10, 000 NRM leaders to receive transport facilitation for Museveni swearing-in

President Museveni waves to supporters as he and First Lady arrive at Kololo Independence Grounds for his nomination rally on September 23, 2025.

More than 10,200 leaders of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have been invited to attend the May 12 swearing-in ceremony of President Museveni, who is also the party’s long-serving national chairman.

The delegates, drawn from Uganda’s 146 districts and cities, include members of party structures at district, city and municipality levels.

Each district or city is expected to send around 40 representatives, while municipalities and city divisions will each send an additional 30 delegates.

Speaking to party leaders on Wednesday, NRM National Treasurer Barbara Nekesa Oundo said the mobilisation structure that delivered what she described as the party’s “mass victory” would also anchor preparations for the swearing-in celebrations.

“The just concluded campaigns that led to the NRM mass victory were largely party structure-led under the central coordination of the NRM Secretariat,” Ms Nekesa said.

She added that the centralised mobilisation strategy helped eliminate competing campaign groups operating simultaneously in the field.

“This central command created cohesion as it got rid of many mobilisation groups leading on different fronts and yet in the same field. The organisation and coherency of the campaign effort was very monumental,” she said.

According to party officials, transport reimbursement for delegates will be channelled through district offices ahead of the ceremony, with leaders expected to travel to Kampala on May 11.

Internal NRM documents indicate that delegates from Acholi sub-region will receive between Shs80,000 and Shs120,000 for transport, while those from Bukedi will receive up to Shs60,000 for travel to Kampala and similar facilitation for return journeys.

Delegates from Busoga are expected to receive between Shs50,000 and Shs60,000 depending on district location, while representatives from Bunyoro, Ankole, Teso and Greater Masaka will receive between Shs40,000 and Shs120,000.

Leaders from Sebei, Kigezi, Mukono and Mubende will receive between Shs20,000 and Shs40,000, while delegates from Karamoja are expected to receive up to Shs140,000 because of distance and transport costs.

The party has also allocated at least Shs200,000 for accommodation of travelling party officials, alongside an additional budget exceeding Shs300 million to support district-level publicity activities linked to President Museveni’s seventh elective swearing-in ceremony.

NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo said the ruling party was not directly funding the state ceremony itself, but rather facilitating participation of party leaders.

“The swearing-in ceremony is a government function funded by the government. For us as a party, we have only facilitated our party leaders to come and participate and celebrate with the National Chairman of NRM,” Mr Dombo told Monitor on Wednesday evening.

How over Shs300 million will be spent

Parliament on Tuesday approved a supplementary budget of Shs1.1 trillion, of which Shs3 billion was allocated toward the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Beyond Kampala, the NRM has organised district-wide publicity drives aimed at creating what officials described as a “national celebratory mood” on the day of the inauguration. The events are expected to be relayed live to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds from different districts across the country.

Under the arrangement, District Administrative Secretaries have been instructed to remain in their districts to coordinate mobilisation activities, live broadcasts and public celebrations in liaison with the Directorate of Information, Publicity and Public Relations.

Party documents show that each district has been allocated Shs1 million for hiring sound systems and vehicles, including fuel, for mobilisation drives. Another Shs1 million per district has been earmarked to facilitate journalists and support live broadcasting of activities, while Shs500,000 has been budgeted for radio talk shows and public announcements.

“This facilitation shall be sent to the districts in advance through the district accounts. You shall coordinate party faithful to participate in the drives and talk shows,” part of the party communication reads.

During the meeting, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong urged party leaders to maintain political momentum ahead of upcoming grassroots electoral processes by updating village-level party structures.

Mr Todwong emphasised the need for early verification of LC1 candidates across villages to ensure that all party structures are fully represented once electoral activities commence.

The meeting was attended by members of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and senior officials from the NRM Secretariat.

NRM party rallies members to attend in big numbers

NRM party rallies members to attend in big numbers

FYI

In January, Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama announced the final results, showing Museveni, president since 1986, securing a seventh five-year term with 7,946,772 votes, representing an overwhelming 71.65 percent of ballots cast.

Museveni's closest challenger, Bobi Wine finished second with 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72 percent, according to the official tally.